Chinese zodiac years: which animal is which birth year?

Each Chinese zodiac year starts at Lunar New Year (between January 21 and February 20), not on January 1. If you were born in January or early February, your sign is usually the animal of the previous year — the calculator above checks your exact date, and this guide lists the exact New Year dates.

The element repeats every two years (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water); the full 60-year stem-branch cycle is covered in Chinese zodiac elements.